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O U T P AT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E | J U N E 2 0 1 4
When Tyler Bemont, RN, BSN, worked at Community Memorial
Hospital in Hamilton, N.Y., a 40-bed hospital with a busy orthopedic
surgery service, he estimated that each of the 8 or so total joint
replacement surgeries they performed each day generated about 35
pounds of garbage. "For years," he says, "this material wasn't recycled
and ended up in the landfill."
Mr. Bemont found that the hospital had a single recycling receptacle
that collected mostly aluminum cans and plastic bottles from the
kitchen. This one bin cost the hospital $100 a month to have on site
and another $600 to empty once every 6 months. Meanwhile, the hos-
pital was paying $2.50 per pound to dispose of red bag waste that con-
tained infectious material, glass vials and sharps. Mr. Bemont helped
launch a program that recycled 45 pounds of glass each month.
From blue to
green
A good way to kick-
start your recycling
program is to desig-
nate a recycling bin in
each OR for the blue
wrap from procedure
packs and trays. "This
is an easy first step
because the wrap is
removed when the
room is being set up,
before the patient and
physician arrive and
things get busy," says
G O I N G G R E E N
Aesculap, Inc. | 800-282-9000 | www.aesculapusa.com
Aesculap, Inc. - a B. Braun company
E!ciency That Saves
Aesculap SterilContainer
™
Systems—the preferred choice for cost savings
versus single-use blue wrap
Call 610-984-9287 to discuss a customized savings program for your facility, or visit
www.AesculapUSA.com to order the Aesculap SterilContainer
™
Information Kit.
*Data on !le.
Q
SAVE up to 80% on operating expenses
*
Q
SAVE reprocessing time from tears in single-use blue wrap; up to $50,000 annual savings
*
Q
SAVE the environment by decreasing your waste stream by up to 5,000 pounds per year
*
Reduce sharps injuries. Comply with OSHA.
Lower your environmental impact.
SharpsRink™ Reusable Neutral Zone
ORANGE IS THE NEW GREEN.
®
and
TM
are owned by Ansell Limited or one of its affiliates.
©
2014 Ansell Limited. All rights reserved.
To place an order, call 866-764-3327
www.Ansell.com/SANDEL
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